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31 August 2014

I found this game on a friend's Facebook and decided that I wanted to play along...

The Rules: Randomly list any twelve literary characters, and then answer the following questions. Make SURE that you list the characters BEFORE reading the questions! Or else you'll miss the Mad Libs fun!______________________________________________My twelve are:1) Anna Karenina2) Rhett Butler3) Yossarian4) Holly Golightly5) Atticus Finch6) Jay Gatsby7) Daisy Fay8) Scarlett O'Hara9) Mr. Darcy10) Elizabeth Bennet11) Lee12) Auntie Mame______________________________________________The questions:1. Who would make a better college prof, 6 (Jay Gatsby) or 11 (Lee)?Lee, being the more philosophical of the two, would probably be better. Though Gatsby would be an interesting lit professor because of his experiences (both real and fabricated).2. Do you think that 2 (Rhett Butler) would win the “Cutest Guy of 2009"?Rhett Butler is "Sexiest Man of All Time."3. 12 (Auntie Mame) sends 8 (Scarlett O'Hara) out on a mission. What is it? Does it succeed?Auntie Mame needs Scarlett to distract Mr. Babcock so that he won't discover the mischief she and Patrick have gotten up to. Of course it succeeds! Scarlett winds up getting Mr. Babcock talking about her lumber mill, which allows Mame and Patrick to escape.4. What is or would be 9 (Mr. Darcy)'s favourite book?I think he would definitely read the Romantics. For some reason, I think he would have enjoyed Hemingway as well...but I think this of almost everyone who didn't get to read Hemingway...5. Would it make more sense for 2 (Rhett Butler) to swear fealty to 6 (Jay Gatsby), or the other way around?I think the other way around. Rhett would have been Gatsby's mentor, teaching him the ways of the world, men's fashion, and romancing the ladies.6. 5 (Atticus Finch) is looking for a roommate. Should (s)he share a studio apartment with 9 (Mr. Darcy) or 10 (Elizabeth Bennet)?It would have to be Mr. Darcy because Atticus would never have a lady for a roommate, nor would Elizabeth have a man for a roommate.7. 2 (Rhett Butler), 7 (Daisy Fay), and 12 (Auntie Mame) have dinner together. Where do they go, and what do they discuss?They'd sit in a corner table at some ritzy New York nightclub and would discuss their love problems. Hopefully Daisy and Mame would convince Rhett to go back to Scarlett.8. 3 (Yossarian) challenges 10 (Elizabeth Bennet) to a duel. What happens?A fabulous flashback to something else that happened on the base.9. If 1 (Anna Karenina) stole 8 (Scarlett O'Hara)'s most precious possession, how would she/he get it back?
This one is kind of fun to think about because Vivian Leigh played both characters! I think in this case, the most precious possession would be Rhett, so it would be a battle of seduction to see who would ultimately get him back. SPOILER ALERT! Though I think Scarlett would get him in the end because she keeps her head on her shoulders and would not dive under a train.

10. Suggest a title for a story in which 7 (Daisy Fay) and 12 (Auntie Mame) both attain what they most desire.

They both desire to be young and beautiful and rich forever...So...something about The Fountain of Youth.

11. What kind of plot device would you use if you wanted 4 (Holly Golightly) and 1 (Anna Karenina) to work together?

Anna Karenina would hire Holly to seduce Vronsky to see if he were faithful to her.

12. If 7 (Daisy Fay) visited you for the weekend, how would you get along?

I think we would have a pretty good time for the weekend--going out, drinking, having fun until the wee hours--but ultimately we are rather different and I think I would probably get bored of her and her limited conversational skills.

13. If you could command 3 (Yossarian) to perform any one task or service for you, what would it be?

I would want Yossarian to help me find the Snowdens of yesteryear.

14. If 2 (Rhett Butler) had to choose sides between 4 (Holly Golightly) and 5 (Atticus Finch), which would it be?

I think he would probably choose Holly because Atticus is too straightforward, whereas Holly is willing to go to whatever lengths she needs in order to get what she needs and wants.

"The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters." That's not really a thing to shout, but I think it would sum up her sentiments.

16. If you chose a song to represent 8 (Scarlett O'Hara), which song would you choose?

"My Way" by Frank Sinatra. She did what she needed to do. "Regrets, I've had a few/Then again, too few to mention/I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption." And "Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew/When I bit off more than I could chew/But through it all, when there was doubt/I ate it up and spit it out"
You know. Stuff like that...

17. 1 (Anna Karenina), 6 (Jay Gatsby), and 12 (Auntie Mame) are having dim sum at a Chinese restaurant. There is only one scallion pancake left, and they all reach for it at the same time. Who gets to eat it?

Auntie Mame totally would have eaten it! Anna and Jay were probably both too depressed about their love lives, so Mame would have gotten the food.

18. What might be a good pick-up line for 2 (Rhett Butler) to use on 10 (Elizabeth Bennet)?

"Don't give yourself airs, Elizabeth."

19. What would 5 (Atticus Finch) most likely be arrested for?

He's honor and truth and justice. What could he be arrested for?

20. What is 6 (Jay Gatsby)'s secret?

Aside from the obvious? Well...I think his secret is that he hates parties and large crowds.

21. If 11 (Lee) and 9 (Mr. Darcy) were racing to a destination, who would get there first?

Lee. Either because he lived after automobiles existed or because Darcy was too proud to admit that Lee could possibly win.

22. If you had to walk home through a bad neighbourhood late at night, would you feel safer in the company of 7 (Daisy Fay) or 8 (Scarlett O'Hara)?

Scarlett. She's killed a man. And she can shoot straight if she doesn't have to shoot too far. We'd be fine.

23. 1 (Anna Karenina) and 9 (Mr. Darcy) reluctantly team up to save the world from the threat posed by 4 (Holly Golightly)'s sinister secret organization. 11 (Lee) volunteers to help them, but it is later discovered that s/he is actually a spy for 4 (Holly Golightly). Meanwhile, 4 (Holly Golightly) has kidnapped 12 (Auntie Mame) in an attempt to force their surrender. Following the wise advice of 5 (Atticus Finch), they seek out 3 (Yossarian), who gives them what they need to complete their quest. What title would you give this fiction?

"Dinner at Sing Sing." I mean, if Holly Golightly is the bad guy, then obviously this is the only correct title.

11 August 2014

I am super late in signing up for this! But better late than never, right?

Because I hardly know what is going on from one day to the next, I won't be super active in this. I am setting the bar low for myself--read one Jane Austen novel. That was my goal for last year and I was able to meet it.

This year I plan on reading Sense and Sensibility. It seems to be a favorite of a lot of people. I hear a lot of comparisons between it and Pride and Prejudice, which is the only other Austen novel I've read. I am going to try to not let this get in the way of my reading experience. I think that preconceived notions have gotten in the way of a lot of my experiences with reading the classics.

I am excited about reading this novel. I want to enjoy it. I want to find out why so many people like this novel. I want to be transported to a simpler time and be swept away by the romance and passion that Austen writes about.

Last year I positively flew through Pride and Prejudice. I hope to have similar success. Though I have not read the first half of Sense and Sensibility 84,000 times, so I probably won't read it quite as quickly.

10 August 2014

It's been a month since I last posted. A whole lot has happened in that time, but seemingly nothing has happened--a strange paradox. I wrapped up my time in Stillwater. I had a great lunch reconnecting with an old friend. Then I immediately went up to my grandparents' house, where I have been almost exclusively since. I did spend one night in Tulsa last weekend, but that was mostly to resupply. I will be up here for the foreseeable future, with short jaunts to Tulsa or Stillwater as needed.

Anyway, I decided I needed to get a post out and I love when Trish does these, so I stole the idea from her.

Listening To:A lot of TV in the background. Right now it's an old Carole Lombard movie with Cary Grant. It's kind of fabulous and I may need to buy a copy.Eating: Whatever is quick and easy! When I am lucky, this means something from home, like salami, fruit, and some chips. However, this usually means grabbing something on the way home from the hospital or something we can take up to the hospital. I have been making a concerted effort to get two meals at home each day because I feel really icky otherwise and I cannot understand how I used to eat hardly anything but fast food.Watching: A lot of the History Channel! My grandparents love Pawn Stars and American Pickers. I am 100% a Pawn Stars girl, but Pickers is growing on me. I love learning more about the history of objects.Reading: I have been reading bits and pieces of all the books, but not making a whole lot of progress. It largely depends on my feeling for the day, which usually depends on how much good sleep I got the night before. My purse is also a deciding factor. I accidentally left my iPad charger behind the last time my mom and I ran to Tulsa, so I haven't been able to use it for reading. So I switch amongst Moby-Dick, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, and Chronicle of a Death Foretold (which I've only read a few pages of, but should probably just dedicate myself to and knock out because it's less than 100 pages). I would like to be reading more Sense and Sensibility, but for some reason I keep wanting to read Wuthering Heights instead. I still haven't read hardly at all since the beginning of July. I'd really like to remedy this, but I just don't know how other than to keep slogging.Planning: I'm trying to figure out a new normal for myself. Temporarily moving to Bartlesville was not what I had planned when I left Stillwater. I know that I need to work out a new normal (that includes yoga, coffee and breakfast, and looking for jobs, then getting ready and spending time with my family) for myself for this period of time, but I just haven't had the energy to do the first bit. I've also been thinking a lot about blogging and writing in general. I really want to do both. I just have to start making time for the things I want to do and then making myself follow through.Feeling: Honestly, I haven't really been thinking about this. I get through the day. Loving: My family. They are absolutely crazy and beautiful.Wanting: I am wanting for things to calm down. Or maybe I am wanting myself to find a routine in all of the madness. Either way...Thinking: About all of the things I need to remember to bring back with me the next time I resupply--namely, nail polish remover, my iPad charger, some different books to try, my black notepad, clothes and purses I want to bring. That sort of thing. The essentials...Looking Forward To: Seeing my friends next weekend! I've been looking forward to next weekend since before I left Stillwater. It will be so good to see everyone again and to relax and hang out.